Sun, Sand & Surf is the first of its kind, complete guide to the beaches of Orange County. This hard bound, coffee table, photograph guide book features every beach from Seal Beach Municipal Pier to San Onofre Trails. The book provides full color photographs, comprehensive information about each beach, surf reports that offer best swell direction and locations, dive reports that feature dive locations, reefs and types of species present, pictorial keys denoting ammenities and driving directions.
Sun, Sand & Surf, presents beachgoers with over twenty years of experience and insight on Orange County beaches. Gia and Julianna Danson, two sisters who grew up along the Orange County Coast, have been passionate about the beaches since they were children.
By the time they were teenagers, they had discovered the best beaches for surfing, diving, camping, biking, fishing, volleyball, sunbathing and beach combing. Plus, found some of the most spectacular, secret beaches and sea caves in California.
As adults, their interest for the beach and sea increased and compelled them to learn more about it. Julianna attended college and studied Ecology. And Gia earned her degree in Biology with an emphasis in Marine Ecology.
While attending school, they both worked in a popular restaurant in the Dana Point Harbor. Frequently,customers would ask, "Which beach has gentle waves for children?" "Where is a good place to surf?" "Is there any beach where I can bring my dog?" and "Is there a beach that allows overnight camping?"
Soon, they realized there was a need for a comprehensive guidebook to Orange County beaches. They wanted their book to be complete-providing detailed information about every beach Orange County.It had to be a 'quick reference' with directions given in two forms. It needed to include photographs and a pictorial key to denote amenities. And it should give explicit information on surfing and diving for the beaches that suite those activities. It was designed to be 'The Ultimate Guide to Orange County Beaches'.
Combining their local knowledge with interviews from surfers, divers, beachgoers, and lifeguards, they wrote Sun, Sand and Surf. After having their grandfather, noted screenwriter and producer, Richard Collins, edit their work, they recruited seascape photographer, Marc Brautigam and surf photographer, Tom Mendivil to take pictures that would capture each beach's authentic atmosphere. Uniting those efforts with art director, Robert Brocke, Gia and Julianna created a visually stunning, easy-to-use, informative, encyclopedia of Orange County beaches.
